It’s a phrase we’re going to trot out constantly around these parts – at least until they get an X next to their name in the standings – but tonight’s game between the Calgary Flames and the Los Angeles Kings at the Scotiabank Saddledome is a big, big game. Yes, even bigger than their last game at the Saddledome a couple weeks ago.
Things have gone well for the Flames lately. They’ve won a lot. They’re relatively healthy. They can make life much, much easier for themselves down the stretch with a regulation win. That outcome would put the Kings 11 points back of the Flames. If they’re 11 points back with 10 games to go, they ain’t catching them.
The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. MT on Sportsnet One (and West) and Sportsnet 960 The Fan!
THE FLAMES
Lines via Daily Faceoff:
LW | C | RW |
---|---|---|
![]() Matthew Tkachuk |
![]() Mikael Backlund |
![]() Michael Frolik |
![]() Johnny Gaudreau |
![]() Sean Monahan |
Alex Chiasson
|
![]() Kris Versteeg |
Matt Stajan | ![]() Troy Brouwer |
![]() Lance Bouma |
Sam Bennett | Curtis Lazar
|
Defensive Pairings | |
---|---|
![]() Mark Giordano |
![]() Dougie Hamilton |
![]() T.J. Brodie |
Michael Stone
|
![]() Matt Bartkowski |
Deryk Engelland |
Brian Elliott starts yet again, as he’s been very, very good lately. He’s 22-13-3 with a 2.47 goals against average and a .911 save percentage. He was still recovering from the flu on Friday and managed to make many nice saves in the win. He would’ve had a shutout had T.J. Brodie not served up a softie in his own end.
The only real change we may see is Sam Bennett starting the game with Lance Bouma and Alex Chiasson on the fourth line. Bennett spent the last two periods centering the fourth line on Friday and was decent, if unspectacular. The challenge for him right now is that he’s been consistently decent, but it’s not translating into goals at a time of year where they’re the only thing that really matters. Considering how important line matching is going to be in a game like this one, the outcome of the game itself may rely on Calgary’s bottom six being more productive than the Kings’.
Update It looks like Ferland’s absense will be related to a potential mumps scare
#LAKvsCGY Update: Micheal Ferland will not play tonight. He is under observation for the mumps.
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) March 19, 2017
THE KINGS
Lines via Daily Faceoff:
LW | C | RW |
---|---|---|
![]() Dustin Brown |
![]() Anze Kopitar |
![]() Jarome Iginla |
![]() Tanner Pearson |
![]() Jeff Carter |
![]() Tyler Toffoli |
![]() Adrian Kempe |
![]() Trevor Lewis |
![]() Marian Gaborik |
![]() Kyle Clifford |
![]() Nic Dowd |
![]() Andy Andreoff |
Defensive Pairings | |
---|---|
![]() Derek Forbort |
![]() Drew Doughty |
![]() Jake Muzzin |
![]() Paul Ladue |
![]() Kevin Gravel |
![]() Alec Martinez |
Most likely, Jonathan Quick starts for the Kings; they’ve had a bunch of back-to-backs lately and Quick always starts the first game. He’s 5-1-1 with a 2.02 goals against average and a .928 save percentage. He’s been really good lately for the Kings, and really has been since coming back from injury a few weeks ago.
The Kings are generally healthy, which is great, because this is the first game of a crucial back to back for them. They’re in Calgary tonight and Edmonton tomorrow. Two wins really helps them close the gap with Nashville and Calgary for a wildcard spot. Two losses probably kills their playoff chances for good.
THE NUMBERS
FLAMES | KINGS | |
Wins | 40 | 34 |
Points (Pct.) |
84 (592.) |
75 (.536) |
Power Play | 19.9% | 19.2% |
Penalty Kill | 81.1% | 85.1% |
Score-Adjusted Corsi | 50.7% | 54.7% |
HISTORY LESSON
In 232 head to head games with Los Angeles, the Flames are 117-89-26. This is the third of five games between these teams this year. The home team has won every game between them so far this season.
KNOW THY ENEMY
Some Kings follows for tonight’s contest:
MAGIC NUMBERS
The Flames enter tonight’s game with a magic number of 8. A regulation win drops their magic number to 6, and basically puts the Kings on the ropes. (Los Angeles plays in Edmonton on Monday, and Calgary’s magic number could conceivably drop even further.)
SUM IT UP
It’s the Flames’ second of four big games with Los Angeles during their stretch drive. They showed up big-time in their last meeting with the Kings and gave themselves some much-needed breathing room. They can take away the Kings’ breathing room with another strong performance tonight.
GG has created a mis-match with Monny’s line as the 3rd line tonight…that’s great coaching….
What exactly makes the Monahan line “the 3rd line tonight”? I’m sure that Darryl Sutter is aware of that line, no matter what line number anyone tags it with tonight.
What a between the legs feed by Tkachuk in the neutral zone.
Huge save by Elliott.
Spent too long in their own zone and left Kopitar all alone.
Not really sure why Bartkowski just let Kopitar skate right past him. Engelland was tied up with Iginla, Bartkowski probably should’ve stuck with the guy skating towards the net.
Engelland saw Bartkowski was in his corner and joined him anyway. Lol. Engelland should have played a switch and stayed out front where Bartkowski should have been.
Engelland is like the guy who keeps getting in car accidents, but it’s “never his fault”. Even if it wasn’t his fault he could have prevented it from happening.
That was Brouwer’s man
Yeah that looks like an elbow to the face by Tkachuk on Doughty
Tkachuk didn’t Elbow him he popped him with his shoulder. The impact was way too high for an elbow from behind, hence why there was no penalty.
So given the personnel on the ice: the Brouwer line, Bart & Engelland, it’s not surprising that they’re running around…
I love #19!
How is that not a God damn elbowing penalty? Refs suck!!!
Nope…Lady Byng wouldn’t do that…..
WW
Got to admire Tkachuk sending a message to some wily veterans .
Any guesses as to what Brouwers corsi will be tonight? It shouldn’t be too hard for someone to get it right as it’s a very narrow range to pick from.
He will have negative corsi tonight.
Flames could use a regulation win tonight , and a regulation Oiler victory tomorrow against L.A..
I wouldn’t mind to see Edmonton and LA spilt up the points in their remaining games – keep
LA down but keep Edmonton within sight
Hoping reg win by us tonight and LA reg win tomorrow. I want deadmonton golfing like usual. I used to be pulling for them but thx to their trolls I hate them more than the Canucks!
As an Oiler fan, cheering for the Flames. Don’t judge all the Oiler fans by a few trolls. I don’t judge all flames fans by the few Flame trolls on Oiler Nation. Just some people that have nothing else to do. Loved the battle of Alberta in the 80’s and would love to see that again. A strong Flames team makes the Oilers better and vice versa. Let’s make Alberta death valley for visiting teams.
I’m not a troll, and I sure as hell don’t share your opinion. That’s why we cheer for teams anyways, because you want your team to be the best. Some of the best memories are watching BOA’s with my Calgarian friends and hoping we destroy them. I’m sure it’s vice versa too for many of you.
Expect a phone call for Mr. Tkachuk on that one tomorrow, fined or suspended for sure for the elbow.
Gio with another change up from the line!
For those worried about Johnny and Monny without Ferland..I think they’ll be okay
Went away for a few minutes and our red light went off twice in quick succession… first Gio and then a beauty from Johnny!
It’s ok boys. The King of the Rink Ram got scored on twice during the commercial break.
Its so cute when the Fan960 calls the 3M+Gio+Dougie the second PP unit.
That was a brief but intense LA PP!
Ben Bishops glow in the dark mask is absolutely mesmerizing under the bright lights of the Dome….
Kinda like an old man buying glow in the dark underpants – very low likelihood of getting lit up
The sea was angry, my friend. Like an old man trying to return glow in the dark underpants.
Again they can’t get the puck out and Bart ends up taking a penalty… LA gets their 3rd PP.
Am I the only one who misses the old FN layout?
The first person to like it gets a Brouwer jersey
Anyone else Think chucks will be getting a suspension?
Let’s hope not.
Will be 1 or 2 games.
Nice shift by Bennett, Lazar and Stajan.
Man, Ben Bishop must really want to be a Flame spotting us 4 goals!
What a great, dull, 3rd period. Great game!